A Lovecraftian short story I wrote. Enjoy, folks, and don't forget the comments! I also would like the opportunity to publish it!

The
Birth of Gug

by
Kenna Mary McKinnon

Over the line of the sultry hills bursts the blood of sun,
reminding me that I am late for the bloodbath with the Moon Beast and may be
late for my son’s birthing, as well. My son’s name will be Gug, who was conceived
in a dream of Kadath, the former home of the gods. He’ll be born into a heap of
skulls and other bones, as my wife, Mormo, wished. With teeth jagged to munch
on the midwife before she could tell the world of our undoing in the Valley of
Death, his eyes will be pink, jutting from each side of his black-furred head,
and his vertical yawning mouth yellow and agape between them. Our magic to
conceive him, juxtaposed from the Mythos of the Great Ones, was strong. You can
pile on the guilt but my heart will remain stone. I stand beside my wife and
newborn monster who will, I trust, help us to undo the outrage to my world.

I speak of the oceans and the plastic that will not bleed; I
speak of the designer water bottles that pollute and destroy; I speak of what Gug
can do when we lead the Green Party to election, just like Britain and its
henchmen, here in our Lord Anno Domino 1999.

My Palm PDA device flickers to life in my hand as my wife,
Mormo, summons me on her new golden PDA (so recently discovered and replacing
our old cell phone). Ensconced in our marriage bed, she breathes into the
instrument the words I’ve been waiting for all night, interrupting even my
bloodbath with the Moon Beast to make way for the birth of our son. Yes, we
named him already soon after the ultrasound showed us his tiny penis and shaggy
outline, our precious little Gug who will change the Earth for the better. Our
political agenda couldn’t happen at a better time, with trash littering the
planet where the new gods dwell. No, not Boston, but Winnipeg, for that is
where we live, my wife and I, and that is where the antichrist will be born.
Our precious Gug. I sigh with delight.

“Hippolytus,” my wife cries, “the time has come.”

I frown and bite my lip. Males are not allowed in the birthing
room. I am taking the call outside our dwelling, in the courtyard, and watch
the bloodred sun as it rises. The Moon Beast will not be happy with me. “Are
the midwives there?”

“Yes, all is ready. I feel the pangs of childbirth and they
are severe, but not as severe as the brushes of our Master,” she replies.

“He is cruel,” I agree, “and his pen draws close, I fear, to
the empty gods of Kadath.”

“Does the morning sun still stain the glass over the wondrous
halls of Winnipeg?”

“Yes, Mormo, I’m still here soaking it all in, the magical
vista before me of Winnipeg in the morning. The Moon Beast must find another
artist to best represent his fierceness. For I stayed here all night, slept in
the anteroom beside the birthing chamber, and now eagerly await the birth of
our little Gug.”

“I fear he is not so small,” she groaned. I could hear the
midwives scuttling about in the background. They would be helping my wife to
move into the birthing room next to our matrimonial chamber. I wished with every
tortured and bulging heart that I could be there, but the matriarchal society
in which we lived did not allow it.

Within my lifetime McCarthy won the election in the United
States and plunged us all into this nether universe, around which I understand
our sun whirls in disarray. There are those Nightgauntian spirits who insist
the earth is spherical. As you know, they are far outweighed by the rational
observation that the earth is flat and remains that way in spite of the
monsters who spiral up from the infernal edges, like the Kadathian god who is
Gug’s godfather and my good friend. The gods who dwell in Boston decreed it so,
that we should populate the Earth with our progeny that is our right, but the
Earth cannot sustain its original denizens much longer. Thus agrees our Maker.
There are many more like our son being born, right now, to the delight of the
Mythos Fandom, the whales and denizens of the oceans, and the turtles and rats
of Earth all entangled in the refuse left by Eve’s descendants.

Mormo went out and bought a little black onesie for Gug and
there is a black Pierre Trudeau toque sent from a friend on Manitoulin Island,
Ontario. We think our son will be well dressed. Our political agenda may come
to fruition with his birth. A boy from the Tower of Goth who munches plastic
and flesh. Excellent. He will be the perfect infernal machine to create a new
world, starting with our home town of Winnipeg and mowing down to the 49th
parallel then through Fargo, Minneapolis, and Fort Dodge. Boston is one of the worst
polluters but if Gug inherits my excellent eyesight and his mother’s good
sense, he will bypass Chicago and Boston rather than make a stint eastward. Our
nephew lives there with his wife and family. As an environmental engineer, our
nephew and his proctologist wife desire nothing less than to clean up their
city with the aid of clamps, scope, and gun, which is commensurate with the
plans of the gods. I’ve heard it’s architecturally bland, anyhow. Our Gug would
not be interested.

Winnipeg, as everyone knows, is the cultural centre of North
America, and we are happy to say we call it home, though the winters are fairly
brisk. Did I mention that Boston tends to be bland? It’s in New England, you
know.

Today we welcome our son to the world. I hasten into the
anteroom next to the birthing chamber. For many hours I chew my nails and wait;
the birds on the patio beside the huge apple tree in the courtyard chatter in
tongues. I hear the groans of my wife and the wailing of the nurses, then cut
short by a pregnant silence. I know the child of the Tower of Goth has arrived.

As I pull apart the curtains to the birthing room, I am
greeted by the wondrous sight of my Gug munching on the bones of the midwives,
and my Mormo chortling over his precocity and appearance, reminiscent of his
godfather. Perhaps too reminiscent? I ponder this challenge as it appears to my
fuddled mind. Prancing over the splintered bones of the nurses, I approach my
little family.

“My husband,” croons my wife, and opens her arms to me. I
fall into her cavernous embrace, which includes the busy form of our newborn
son, shaggy and quick-witted.

“Mormo. You’ve done well. He looks like a god.”

“Yes, he does. But resembles you, my husband, above all
gods.”

I pinch my lip and frown. “Perhaps. But his features bring
one to mind of the Kadathian who is my friend and the baby’s godfather, our
Master.”

She laughs, her pointed teeth flashing in the blood light
that streams through the open sashes. Her tentacles entice and wander. “You’re
dreaming, darling.Mythos is a trusted
advisor and no more.”

“He’s smiling at us!” I hold my son in a firm embrace, though
he towers far above my head.

“It’s gas,” explains the doctor, who arrives late, as always.
She opens her bag and pops a stethoscope onto Mormo’s distended stomach.
“Hmmmm.”

“Not another one in there?” Mormo shrieks.

“No. I wonder at the elasticity of your womb, though.”

“He grows fast,” my wife says. “He’s a big boy.”

The doctor snaps her bag shut and glances at the newborn
monster. “Mind if I take a look?”

“Help yourself,” I say, grinning. She screams, then there is
the silence of the slaughtered calves.

Gug munches happily as the doctor’s head disappears into his
maw like a gingerbread woman. My precocious son is so very precious. The blood
red sun has long ago risen from the east. I missed my appointment with the Moon
Beast due to Mormo’s bloodbath here in the birthing room. It may not be
important, but the bird of Good Fortune certainly shat decently on my
cornflakes this morning. Our political agenda is pure and certain. Even now,
Gug begins to munch his way from the birthing room to the kitchen, where stray
bits of plastic, like offerings to the gods, litter our table before being
taken to the recycling bin in our backyard. No need now. Gug’s massive incisor teeth
crunch through the back-screen door to the courtyard, then into the neighbor’s
bins, and next he trundles out through the gate to board the downtown city bus
to the Greyhound station. No one questions his lack of a ticket. He grins, and
the huge maw on the top of his shaggy head clicks and bleeds. I follow at a
distance, taking it all in, my newborn precious son and the political agenda he
will fulfill, as my Master told me he would.

Wow! This book should be required reading for any former or off duty Marines, and any active Marines (I am told there are no ex-Marines!) or law enforcement, who, I am sure, would understand the language perfectly. The author knows his stuff, from law enforcement to family life to war, all written in a plausible manner, and the PTSD in a chilling manner, but with intersperses of gentleness and love around the two burly heroes. I was about to give it 4 stars when I came to the amazing conclusion, which I didn't expect at all! Like a mystery within a thriller, this book unwinds to its inevitable yet astounding end. Well done, Mr. Wood!

Christmas season is almost upon us, and if you're thinking of stocking stuffers, why not a book!Your little ones from 3 to 11 would enjoy our children's chapter book, "Benjamin and Rumblechum" featuring two children who journey in a minivan across Canada with their toy monkey, Benjamin, and their two eccentric aunts. Based on real life travels by one of the authors, this book is educational as well as a real treat to read!

Though it’s a standalone sequel, Penniless Souls is the
second half of a two-part journey called the Lost Compass Love Series. Follow
Penny and John through the Mojave Desert to Las Vegas, Nevada where old dreams
and dark nightmares intertwine, colliding with the bitter truth. Is Penny up to
the challenge? Is she willing to bet her last cent?

Here’s a snippet from Chapter One:

“Can you trust me?”Quietly, she nodded and placed her head back on his
shoulder.“I have so far,” she mumbled without conviction.It felt like a white flag of surrender.The type of submission that reminded her of
submissivewomen in advertising campaigns of the fifties.Without a job or money, she had only one thing left.
Fortunately, it was something valuable, something called love.

Buy it by clicking here and don't forget to write a short
review!

http://mybook.to/PennilessSouls

If you'd like to see the beginning of Penny's journey, buy Penniless Hearts! Buy both to get the entire series!

Kenna's paranormal fantasy trilogy, Den of Dark Angels, is available on Amazon worldwide!

Buy it here:

5 star review by Mara: "This is a fun read right off the bat!! I finished the first novella hysterically laughing at everyone's ill fate. George and Bernice will be missed!!!"

Karen's Killer Fixin's

For those readers who love bread and fried stuff, I've included a recipe for Lakota Fry Bread. It's great hot out of the pan, but also good cold. My First Nations friend said she makes tacos with it, bison or ground beef on top with tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream. Yum.

I don't measure and don't have the recipe handy, but here is how I make it:

2 cups flour3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

1 cup water to make soft dough

oil for frying

Form dough into a ball and divide into quarters, then flatten and fry for a few minutes on each side, turning when the first side is brown.

You can find different recipes on line but this is the easiest I have come across, and it's delicious!

Sister and brother Katie and Jacob travel across Canada and back with their two eccentric aunts, Kathleen and Mary, in a minivan named Rumblechum, with Benjamin, their stuffed monkey, sitting between them.

Rumblechum transports them through Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the huge province of Ontario, and finally back to their little grey house in Edmonton, Alberta. Their dear calico cat Freedom is at the door to greet them, meowing with excitement and joy, and a mysterious parcel is opened.

A chapter book, the first of a planned series of young reader stories suitable for ages 3 to 12 years old. Fictional, but based on true traveling experiences.

It is my pleasure to welcome you to my blog today, Eve. We’ll start out with
a few questions. If you choose not to answer any question, please feel free to
skip it, and if there is anything that I’ve missed, you’re welcome to add a
comment.

Let’s get started.

1)Can you tell us a
little bit about yourself?

I’m the author of Penniless Hearts which you read and reviewed. My
husband and I were married in Hawaii so it naturally became a great setting.
The second time we went for our first Anniversary. For some reason, I began
noticing things about Hawaii that made me see things without rose colored
glasses. Hawaii is gorgeous, but people still go to work. Crime happens. Even
the prettiest bouquet of tropical flowers will someday wilt. The contrast of
beauty and crime made me have fun with my characters. I enjoyed researching
Pele, helicopters and lava flows. It was a fun book to write.

My third Christmas, I received a small baby grand
piano. I think I drove my parents crazy pounding on the delicate keys. Though I
always loved music, it wasn’t meant to be because the following year, my father
made sure I had a child’s typewriter. That’s when my storytelling began. My
tiny, illustrated books were primitive but somehow, each one had a basic plot.

I hung out in
the school library and read books during recess. During summer, I signed up for
the reading programs and checked out tons of books. I had a thirst for good
stories and I still do. I also believe that if you don’t find the book you’re
looking for, it might be your turn to write it.

I wrote poetry as a young girl and sent them off to
magazines like McCall’s. Of course, I received many, many rejections. My high
school yearbooks published a few of my poems which encouraged me to continue
writing. My diaries and journals mention my future as a writer.

News items sometimes bother me enough to also end up as part of my books. A few months ago, there was an actual story about a child who was stuck in a furniture store overnight. It really made me wonder about the parents, the store security, the managers and the fears that the child must have gone through. That little tidbit is mentioned in my upcoming novel when Lani goes missing, her mother thinks back to the time she hid in an armoire, in a furniture store, to read a book.

3)When did you
first start writing?

I started those poems at age nine but the rough little books came a bit
earlier.

4)When did you
realize you wanted to be a writer?

I always knew it.

5)How long does it
take you to write a book?

Two to three years when I’m not suffering from some bizarre malady.

6)What is your work
schedule like when you’re writing?

1-5 most days.

7)What would you
say is your most interesting writing quirk?

I prefer complete solitude and will go to almost any length to achieve
it. I even moved to a desert home in La Quinta for eight years and when that
wasn’t quiet enough, I pulled a desk into a closet. While in the desert, I
finished Penniless Hearts and The Fifth Commandment, which is a short,
faith-based novella. I don’t live in the
desert anymore, but still like having privacy in a closet. I use a laptop that
isn’t wired into the internet so there are very few distractions. Of course,
with two Chihuahuas around, distractions are inevitable.

8)Where do you get
your information and/or ideas for your books?

That’s an interesting question because The Fifth
Commandment came to me in a dream. So, I felt compelled to write it. A higher
power guided me through that small novella and I’m hoping He helps me with a
few others. That particular book has hit the Creativia bestseller list and did
very well in Australia.

The action scenes in Penniless Hearts and Penniless
Souls came to me when I’m waking up. Basically, I listen to my heart. I feel
all stories come from a good place. Even bad stories are meant to teach us
something.

My husband is very supportive. I have an international family that
reads in many languages. It’s like the United Nations. Almost everyone is
bilingual. Some read books in Spanish and they are not that interested in
reading my books written in English. There is however, a Spanish version of The
Fifth Commandment available. Other
family members prefer reading in Filipino or Greek and even Hungarian.

11)What was one of the most surprising things you
learned in creating books?

That even my thirty years of marketing and advertising experience
cannot help sell my books. I am most surprised that people openly admit that
they don’t read. Reminds me of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

12)How many books have you written? Which is your
favorite?

I have written three books but one of them is a new
release that will be coming soon.

Guess I don’t have a favorite because they are all
unique.

I like Penniless Hearts for being lighthearted and
fun. It takes people on a journey of the Hawaiian Islands and gives them a sort
of bird’s eye view of Kauai and the Big Island. I pull readers into dream
sequences and various hallucinations because my main character runs from tough
situations through her imagination. I imagine Penny running around in one of
those famous Escher prints where the stairs run up and down and there doesn’t
seem to be any escape.

Penniless Souls made me reflect on philosophical
ideas such as the multiple types of determinism, fatalism, subjectivism, deism,
I Ching, compatibilism, even quantum physics.
Have you ever wondered where you
get your good luck? Your bad luck? The story touches on the dark side of Las
Vegas and human trafficking. It’s about coincidence and a mother’s love. How
far would you go to save your child? It was an interesting book to write and I
can’t wait for others to read it.

I like The Fifth Commandment because those pages are
certifiable proof that I’m sorry for being a difficult kid.

13)Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of
things do they say?

There are so many books on the market and they have so many choices
that I am always flattered when I hear they liked my novel. Usually they say
they enjoy the action and the dialogue but honestly, I don’t hear from them
much.

14)What do you think makes a good story?

That depends. I like many types of books. My favorites usually consist
of a journey. The Alchemist by Paul Coelho or Life of Pi by Yann Martel or The
Wizard of Oz, Robinson Crusoe, etc. If you’re writing a book--take me on a trip--let
me see things through your eyes.

15)How did you choose what genre to write in?

I’m not really sure because Penniless Hearts is part adventure and part
romance and I don’t think I can push it into any genre. Maybe it’s a
contemporary romantic adventure? Is there such a thing? Penniless Souls is more
of a romance but it’s also an adventure. The Fifth Commandment is more of a
Christian fantasy. I just write. There
is no plan other than a basic outline.

16)Do you ever experience writer’s block?

Yes, it happens all the time and unless it’s a medical problem or a
bereavement, there are ways I overcome it.

17)Is there any particular author or book that
influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?

How can I pick one?

Many books influenced me growing up, especially the
Bible.

I think of
Willa Cather and the tree she went to hug in the middle of the prairie in O
Pioneers. I remember the confidence of Templeton in Charlotte’s Web. The fox
telling The Little Prince about how it is only with the heart that one can see
clearly. How about Scarlett in Gone with the Wind telling the reader that she
can cry tomorrow? What a great point! Kahlil Gibran reminding me that by
knowing my deepest sorrow, I can appreciate my deepest joy and Harold and his
Purple Crayon telling me that I can do anything.

18)Can you tell us about your challenges in getting
your first book published? I had to self-publish due to an emergency. Seriously.
It’s a long story. Maybe I’ll write about it someday.

19)What was your favorite chapter or part to write?
Why? In Penniless Hearts my favorite part is when she’s in the Waipo valley and
takes a nap on the beach after hiking straight down through a forest of guava
trees. The wild asses roam through there and eat the sticky, fallen fruit. She
wakes up to getting sloppy kisses from a member of the roaming herd. (I’ve made
that hike and seen the animals. They are super cute with long eyelashes and no,
they didn’t kiss me. My husband kissed me under a macadamia tree.)

20)How did you come up with the title?

It came to me one day. I kept wondering why myself.
Later, I thought it might sell a lot of books because people might confuse
penniless with penile. Penile-less. And no, it’s not a story like that but I
thought a few people might take a second look. LOL

21)What has been the toughest criticism given to you as
an author? What has been the best compliment? The toughest criticism usually
has to do with my short chapters. I pull the reader into action and pull them
out rather suddenly. It’s the same way I talk. You can talk to me face to face
about something and my mind might wander. A few minutes into the discussion, I
might compliment your sweater or ask for a drink of water. I usually go back to
the subject at hand, just as I do in my novel. (I had a college English
professor tell us to write the way we speak. It’s not always a good idea, but I
must have taken it to heart.)

The best compliment is that my books aren’t boring.
Nothing worse than a boring book.

22)Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

I mentioned it a few times up above. Longer
chapters, more straightforward and more drama. I hope you like it.

23)What projects are you working on now?

I really want to get back to writing more commandment stories. I’ve
started writing The Tenth Commandment already.

24)Will you have a new book coming out soon?

Yes, yes, yes!! Penniless Souls

25)What famous person, living or dead, would you like
to have lunch with? Why?

I know this sounds strange, but I’d pick the lovely
Melania Trump or any of our lovely First Ladies. I received a letter on White
House stationary from Mamie Eisenhower when I was born, welcoming me as a new
citizen of the United States of America. I’ve always been in awe of everything
the First Lady has to do.

Thank you, Eve! It's been a pleasure having you on my blog. I would encourage your readers to pick up a copy of Penniless Souls! Have you tried Kenna's supernatural fantasy trilogy -- dark but quirky humor!